CRISCO

Crisco, introduced in 1911, was the first solid hydrogenated vegetable shortening. Initially it was not a huge success - women were even reluctant to accept 1½ pound cans of Crisco as free samples! Many of the early users of Crisco were Orthodox Jews, since it contained neither lard or butter (meat & dairy) it could be used at any meal without violating kosher dietary laws. Commercial success for Crisco came during the First World War due to shortages of lard.